Making The Move To Independent Retirement Life

As Baby Boomers make up more and more of the population, the real estate development industry is providing more opportunities to live in areas where neighbors are of similar ages, so they have more in common than young families or those with teens. While Payson does not have many senior-only communities, there are some, so check them out as you plan your life after retirement.

When 72-year-old Army veteran Ted Eickhoff was at his local VA hospital for an appointment recently, he struck up a conversation with another patient about selling his home and downsizing. As luck would have it, Eickhoff’s fellow patient lived in a local independent retirement community and raved about the benefits. Eickhoff was sold.

“I couldn’t believe how much you get for the money,” said Eickhoff. “It is so nice to have everything taken care of with just one monthly payment. It covers everything I need, including amazing meals. And if you need another snack, the chefs just make it for you!”

Eickhoff is part of a growing number of seniors who are planning for an independent living future.

In fact, a recent AARP poll found that nearly 60 percent of Baby Boomers say they are concerned about living independently, and more than 50 percent say they have begun to think about how they would pay for independent living assistance as they get older.

CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS

Mereen Klein, 86, started looking at the costs of keeping her own apartment versus independent living when her eyesight declined. Klein needed assistance with transportation and didn’t want to be dependent on her son, so she decided to move to an independent retirement living community that met her needs.

“It was right for me with my fixed income, and the money covers everything,” said Klein.

To determine what makes financial sense, seniors need to add up the true costs of managing a home versus being part of a retirement community.

Even if you no longer have a mortgage payment, you still have fluctuating monthly expenses including utilities, taxes, phone, cable and food that can add up significantly.

For many seniors, switching to a community that includes one manageable, monthly flat fee gives them the ability to plan out the next 15 to 20 years and know exactly what they can expect to spend and what they can afford.”

For Klein, it not only made financial sense, it also gave her back some of her freedom.

“I can take the community bus down to the bank or out to dinner. I can even go to the doctor and my appointments without bugging anyone for a ride,” said Klein. “I have more independence now than when I lived alone.”

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

To calculate the true costs of making the move to an independent retirement community, seniors must ask as many questions as possible prior to moving in, to uncover any buy-in fees, to determine if a long-term lease is required and to see if the “feel” of the community is right.

Julianne (Judy) Kayatt, 73, knows this all too well. She sold her home and moved into a community that didn’t offer much for her money and wasn’t as caring as she’d hoped. After only a few months, she started her search again.

THE GOLDEN YEARS

Making the move to an independent living community can be an affordable way to make the most of one’s retirement years. Kayatt, Klein and Eickhoff have all seen the benefits to cutting ties to a house or an apartment in favor of community living.

Klein was able to take advantage of a promotion from Holiday Retirement, which covered up to $1,000 of her moving expenses, and Kayatt received her birthday month free when she moved in.

And as for Eickhoff, the payoff for him is being surrounded by people his own age with shared experiences and a passion for living the good life.

“This is everything I ever thought about doing when I retired,” said Eickhoff.

“Sometimes people reminisce about the past being great, but I was fighting in the military for 22 years and working hard, and now these are my golden years. I can actually relax and people take care of me for a change.”

For more information on making the move to independent retirement living, visit holidaytouch.com or call 1-800-322-0999.